Institute of Contemporary Arts

Cultural Leadership Programme at the ICA: Developing Entrepreneurs as Leaders

The Cultural Leadership Programme is a two-year Treasury funded investment in excellence in leadership across the creative and cultural industries. By developing a dynamic range of activities and opportunities, the programme aims to nurture and develop world class, dynamic and diverse leaders for the 21st Century.

We are working with the Cultural Leadership Programme to deliver one strand of the programme: Developing Entrepreneurs as Leaders.

The ICA will organise three individual Leadership Events, which are based upon the principles of knowledge sharing, personal and professional development and skills training:

• Pecha Kucha Mentoring Programme
• Discovering Voices Workshop

Each event will aim to instil cultural entrepreneurs with:

• Confidence
• A wider understanding of interaction between business and culture
• Context - a broader view of their business strengths and business skills
• The ability to communicate to a diverse audience
• The opportunity to tap into extended networks through speakers' / mentor networks, peer collaborations and personal initiative
• The ability to identify private and public sector resources
• Long-term knowledge sharing, with emphasis on core skills, aiding both business and personal growth.

For each event, the Cultural Leadership Programme seeks to benefit the wider creative and cultural industries. The project's primary focus is the core cultural sector under the following definitions: Crafts; Libraries & Archives; Museums & Galleries; Music; and Performing, Literary & Visual Arts. The programme seeks to benefit the wider creative and cultural sector, in areas such as design, the historic environment, publishing and other creative industry businesses. While it is not envisaged that the audio visual industry will be one of the core sectors for the programme, areas of crossover and potential benefit will be explored.

The project's primary focus is England. However, partnerships and opportunities will be sought in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is likely that the benefits of the final programme will not be limited by geographic boundaries. The programme will also take into account the potential offered by international models of best practice.